This invention relates to a hood for use in an automotive vehicle, and more particularly to a hood incorporating inflatable elements for expansion during an impact event.
It is well known in motor vehicles to utilize a hingeable hood disposed in the region between the passenger compartment and the forward bumper of the vehicle. Such hood structures may be opened so as to permit access to an underlying compartment which may store the engine of the vehicle in vehicles incorporating a forward engine design or a luggage storage compartment in vehicles which incorporate a rear engine design.
The hood portion of a vehicle is typically formed from a relatively thin sheet of metal such as thin gauge steel which may be molded to the appropriate contour corresponding to the overall vehicle body design. The exterior of the hood portion which constitutes the show surface thereof is typically covered with one or more coats of primer and colorant for enhancing both the aesthetic character and the corrosion resistance of the underlying material. Due to the relatively thin nature of the material forming the surface structure of the hood, a framework of support elements typically extends across the underside of the hood so as to provide a degree of dimensional stability to the structure.
In the event of a collision it may be desirable for the hood to have the ability to absorb energy thereby dissipating the force to which persons involved in the collision event may otherwise be subjected. The desirability of such energy absorbing character may be particularly important in the event that the collision event involves direct contact between the hood and a pedestrian, bicycle operator, motorcycle operator, or other persons at the exterior of the vehicle. During such an event, it is believed that substantially fixed elements underlying the hood such as batteries, engine components and the like may give rise to hard surfaces across the hood which may resist deformation and corresponding energy absorption.
This invention provides advantages and alternatives over the prior art by providing an automobile hood which incorporates at least one expansible gas receiving chamber in underlying relation to the interior surface of the automobile hood such that upon expansion of the gas receiving chamber the hood is forced outwardly by the gas receiving chamber away from non deformable underlying surfaces thereby creating an enhanced profile surface which may absorb energy through deformation upon impact by a person or other object as may impact the hood during the collision event.
These advantages are accomplished in a potentially preferred form of the invention by providing an automobile hood which extends in the region between the passenger compartment and the forward bumper of an automobile which automobile hood includes an exterior show surface and an interior surface facing away from the exterior show surface. The exterior show surface and the interior surface are preferably formed by opposing sides of a single sheet of material. At least one expansible gas receiving chamber in fluid communication with an inflator for generating inflation gas is preferably disposed in underlying relation to the interior surface of the automobile hood. The placement and expansive character of the gas receiving chamber is preferably such that upon expansion of the gas receiving chamber, the exterior show surface and the corresponding interior surface of the hood are forced outwardly by the gas receiving chamber. The forced movement of the surface element of the hood gives rise to an extended surface profile thereby leading to an enhanced ability on the part of the hood to absorb energy through collapsible deformation upon impact by an object.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, the expansible gas receiving chamber may be in the form of a metal bladder. Such a structure may provide for additional cushioning through post expansion collapse during the impact event.
According to another aspect of the present invention, it is contemplated that the expansible gas receiving chamber may be disposed either directly beneath the interior surface of the hood intermediate such interior surface and any supporting frame element or may be disposed in underlying relation to portions of the supporting frame elements.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, it is contemplated that the expansible gas receiving chamber may be formed as a chamber within the hood.
According to still a further aspect of the present invention, the expansible gas receiving chamber may be located adjacent the edge of the hood which includes an inwardly extending pleated edge profile thereby permitting enhanced outward extension of the hood surface away from underlying elements upon expansion of the gas receiving chamber.
Advantageously, the present invention permits the substantial enhancement of the energy absorptive character of the automobile hood without substantially increasing complexity in the manufacture of such automobile hood.